Wild & Scenic Film Festival coming to Avon

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AVON -The Walking Mountains Science Center will host the Wild and Scenic Film Festival On Tour on Sept. 14 and 15 in Avon. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is celebrating its 10th year with a collection of films from the annual festival held the third week of January in Nevada City, Calif. Wild & Scenic focuses on films that speak to the environmental concerns and celebrations of our planet. "Films featured at Wild & Scenic give people a sense of place," said tour manager Lori Van Laanen. "In our busy lives, it's easy to get disconnected from our role in the global ecosystem. When we realize that the change we need in this world begins with us we can start making a difference. Come watch and see."The Wild & Scenic Film Festival was started by the watershed advocacy group, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) in 2003. The festival's namesake celebrates SYRCL's landmark victory to earn "Wild & Scenic" status for 39 miles of the South Yuba River in 1999. With the support of national partners, the festival reaches an even larger audience by touring venues coast to coast. Films on the tour feature topics such as the impact of plastic, the education of "today's child", land ethics and 21st century ecological challenges, impact of the mountain pine beetle, and more. The event at Walking Mountains will also offer plenty of activities for adults and kids alike. The event on Sept. 15 will include a family fun fair with outdoor (weather permitting) kids films, science experiment stations, food and family fun. Adult program highlights include "Mother Nature's Child" and "Green Fire" films. "Mother Nature's Child" is an extension of the discussion sparked by Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods" and "The Nature Principle," offering a thought-provoking overview of the benefits of unstructured outdoor play, risk-taking, the use of technology and what it means to educate the "whole child." "Green Fire" is a film about Aldo Leopold, conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer and outdoor enthusiast. The film provocatively examines Leopold's thinking, renewing his idea of a land ethic for a population facing 21st century ecological challenges. Kids will be inspired by "Nico's Challenge," a film cataloguing the journey of a 13 year old boy who climbs Kilimanjaro on one leg, raising money to bring wheelchairs to handicapped people in Tanzania. To see the full film program or purchase tickets, visit www.wildandscenicvail.com. For more information about Walking Mountains events, visit www.walkingmountains.org.